Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) started the weekend with a dominant display across Practice, and is one of 17 riders on the grid who could be etching their names in the history books as Assen's 13th different polesitter across the past 13 Grand Prix at the iconic venue.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Fabio Quartarao (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) have all started from pole position in Assen, leaving it up to someone else to be the number 13. Espargaro took the honours in 2014, followed by Zarco in 2017, Marquez (2018), Quartararo (2019), Viñales (2021), with Bagnaia taking the most recent pole in 2022.
You wouldn't put it past any of those names to end the streak, as the bunch join some household names in the Assen polesitter club. The other six riders that make up the dozen include Jorge Lorenzo (2010), Marco Simoncelli (2011), Casey Stoner (2012), Cal Crutchlow (2013), Valentino Rossi (2015), and Andrea Dovizioso (2016).